Aug. 11, 2004

Fairfax, Va.--George Mason University men's soccer team was picked third in the 2004 Colonial Athletic Association Coaches Preseason Poll according to a vote of the league's 10 head coaches. Mason, which posted an 11-6-6 overall record last season, received one first-place vote and was third with 61 points. The Patriots return nine starters from a squad that reached the title game of 2003 CAA Men's Soccer Championship for the first time since 1995. Mason posted 11 shutouts last season and welcome back two-time first team All-CAA senior goalie John O'Hara (0.98 GAA), first-team All-CAA junior defender Damian O'Rourke, as well as leading scorer junior Steve Alabi (12 goals). Old Dominion received seven first-place votes and 78 total points to earn the top spot in the poll. Two-time defending CAA champion Virginia Commonwealth University, which welcomes back six starters from last season's 17-5 team that advanced to the third round of the NCAA Men's College Cup, received two first-place votes and was picked second with 70 points. Perennial power William & Mary is fourth with 60 points, followed by James Madison, UNC Wilmington, Hofstra, Drexel, Towson and Delaware. The Patriots are slated to open the 2004 season with a home contest against Longwood on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m.

2004 CAA MEN'S SOCCER PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL

1. Old Dominion (7 first-place votes)	78
2. Virginia Commonwealth (2 first-place votes)	70
3. George Mason (1 first-place vote)	61
4. William & Mary	60
5. James Madison	51
6. UNC Wilmington	43
7. Hofstra	33
8. Drexel	28
9. Towson	16
10. Delaware	10

(Teams received 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.)